Amazon’s new historical/political drama House of David surprised everyone by bursting onto the scene to challenge the streaming giant’s most successful shows.

By its second week after release in March 2025, this adaptation of the David vs. Goliath account had risen to number 2 on Amazon and dethroned Invincible amidst its third season, which at the time, had a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. By the season finale, House of David had reached number 1 on Amazon in the U.S.

Now the show is greenlit for a second season and has begun filming in Greece.

House of David’s cast, including Michael Iskander, Ali Suliman, Indy Lewis, Ethan Kai, and Martyn Ford, all bring humanity to their respective characters. Series creator Jon Erwin skillfully fleshes out the world of the ancient Hebrews with backstories, side plots, faith, heart, political intrigue, and humor. ¹

So what did House of David get right or wrong? And is this series worth the watch?

House of David challenges its fans, but not our faith

In some ways, House of David is fighting an underdog’s battle even amongst its own audience. The adaptation shows high levels of violence, extrabiblical family drama for David, and finally the shepherd hero being injured by Goliath. That’s brought plenty of internet buzz from critical viewers. Even non-Christian fans feel skeptical of Amazon after poor adaptations for The Rings of Power and The Wheel of Time.

Yet we should review biblical fiction for what it is, not what a viewer thinks it should be. Biblical fiction is not the Bible itself. Adding dialogue—or even an injury in an iconic battle—is not adding to Scripture, nor does the show claim to do so.

Instead, we should ask ourselves two questions:

• Does anything in this show contradict Scripture directly?
• Does any creative addition go against biblical principles or the character of the biblical figures?

In an interview alongside Jonathan Roumie (The Chosen), Michael Iskander (David) said that for many House of David scenes, he insisted on quoting the Bible verbatim, regardless of the script. But because David has little to no dialogue in the verses leading up to Goliath, I assumed Iskander was speaking mainly of the finale, and I was not disappointed. I’ve since watched the Goliath fight three times and think it’s one of the most dramatic moments in biblical film.

Overall, House of David stays faithful to the original account, with only minor discrepancies. Several characters are short a few siblings, and eagle-eyed Bible scholars will take issue with the death of David’s mother.² Other minor issues include listing Endor as a “city of refuge,” Joab being David’s older cousin instead of his younger nephew (1 Chronicles 16:18), and Michal rather than a servant girl telling her father about David’s musical talents (1 Samuel 16:18). But these discrepancies don’t significantly alter the Scriptural account, go against biblical teaching, or contradict the characters.

My only real gripe was with House of David’s acknowledgement for the Jewish tradition that David was an illegitimate son and therefore seen as an outcast. This makes for a compelling story, but Psalm 51:5³ is better interpreted as a reference to David’s sin nature, not his unmarried parents. Without giving spoilers, however, the show by episode seven managed to meaningfully sidestep the controversy.

House of David beautifully illustrates biblical heroes

House of David excels at bringing to life its Old Testament characters life. Saul is easily the most complex of these, swinging radically between an earnest king and a selfish, power-hungry man. We see the humanity in Ali Suliman’s eyes as he portrays the tragic king, and our heart breaks for him in his weakness. Yet we see him continually harden his heart and refuse to repent of his sins.

David, by contrast, is a stubborn and passionate boy who must trust God’s timing for his life. His bravery and assertive trust in God are on full display in a way that makes me feel Michael Iskander was born to play this role. The young actor is a believer who’s also a professional singer. He picked up lyre-playing within one day, and mastered the ancient sling because he played discus in high school (which uses similar muscle movements to slinging). Iskander also spent long hours with shepherds to learn their trade and read through the entire Psalms ahead of production to better understand the heart of David. I’ve seen lots of creative interpretations of David, but Iskander’s portrayal feels the most biblically realistic.

Other characters also shine. From Samuel’s Gandalf-like presence to Jonathan’s loyalty and steadfast faith, each character matches beautifully with his Scriptural origins. Now that Goliath has been vanquished, I especially can’t wait to see season 2’s portrayal of David and Jonathan’s developing friendship.

Recent biblical fiction has succeeded by focusing on humanity and relatability. The Chosen might be the model, but House of David understood the assignment. The result isn’t a brow-beating sermon or an attempt to buck the source material. Instead this series tells a deeply human story filled with intrigue, struggle, obedience, and consequences that points to Scripture. House of David unquestionably deserves its anointed place on Amazon’s throne.